Pieve Di Brancoli – Romanesque Churches, Hiking and Panoramic Views

Pieve Di Brancoli between Romanesque Art and Mountain Panoramas

Pieve Di Brancoli brings together Romanesque churches, a scenic hike through the Brancoleria and a distinctive destination on the mountain ridge within a compact area. This creates a stage of your journey where culture and landscape can be experienced without changing themes: the route leads to historic churches, through olive groves and centuries-old chestnut forests, and finally to the Cross of Brancoli.

From Lucca, take the SS 12 towards Bagni di Lucca as far as Vinchiana. Then follow the signs to Piazza di Brancoli. This means that the journey does not lead only to a single viewpoint, but also opens up several cultural stops in the Brancoleria.

Hiking through the Brancoleria

The circular hike through the Brancoleria described here is 10 km long, involves 350 metres of ascent and has a moderate difficulty level. The circular hike ends with a final visit to the Pieve di Brancoli.

If you continue from the Pieve di San Giorgio in Brancoli to the Cross of Brancoli, the route follows the Stations of the Cross and passes trenches and communication trenches from the wartime period. These are connected with the so-called “Gothic Line”. Behind the Pieve di Brancoli, a hiking route climbs for approximately 2.5 kilometres to the Cross of Brancoli. Most of the route runs along a drivable road; at the end there is a short, optional forest path.

Romanesque Churches and Special Details

The Pieve di San Giorgio in Brancoli was elevated to the status of a parish church in 1097. Its south-facing portal bears a mysterious relief of the figure “Brancolino” on the architrave. The church is also an important stop on the network of Itinera Romanica routes. This makes it a particularly distinctive cultural reference point within the Brancoleria.

On the road from Vinchiana to the Pieve di Brancoli, the small Romanesque church of San Lorenzo in Corte is located in the Brancoleria. In Piazza di Brancoli, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta features pre-Romanesque low-relief carvings on its façade and portal. Inside, the Church of Sant'Ilario in Brancoli has preserved almost completely its original appearance from the 7th century. Together, these stops reveal different historical layers without requiring you to limit yourself to a single attraction.

The Cross of Brancoli and the View across Tuscany

The Cross of Brancoli stands on a projecting mountain ridge overlooking the Serchio Valley and the plain of Lucca. It is the highest point on the circular route to the Romanesque parish churches of the Brancoleria. From the 360-degree panoramic viewpoint, you can see across the plain of Lucca, the Monti Pisani, the Apennines and the southern Apuan Alps. In clear conditions, the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago may also be visible.

The new Cross of Brancoli is 18.40 metres high and was inaugurated on 23 August 1958. As a result, in addition to its scenic setting, the viewpoint also has a clearly documented more recent history. You can book guided tours of the Pieve di Brancoli by telephone on +39 328/5331903 or by email at pievedibrancoli@gmail.com.

Other Places for Orientation

For further orientation, you can also visit Nozzano Castello, Arsina, Piazzano, Santa Maria Del Giudice, San Pietro A Vico, San Lorenzo A Vaccoli, Cerasomma and Montuolo within the area.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lucca.